Psalms 71:20

Translations

King James Version (KJV)

You, which have showed me great and sore troubles, shall quicken me again, and shall bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

American King James Version (AKJV)

You, which have showed me great and sore troubles, shall quicken me again, and shall bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

American Standard Version (ASV)

Thou, who hast showed us many and sore troubles, Wilt quicken us again, And wilt bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

Basic English Translation (BBE)

You, who have sent great and bitter troubles on me, will give me life again, lifting me up from the deep waters of the underworld.

Webster's Revision

Thou, who hast shown me great and severe troubles, wilt revive me again, and wilt bring me again from the depths of the earth.

World English Bible

You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles, you will let me live. You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

English Revised Version (ERV)

Thou, which hast shewed us many and sore troubles, shalt quicken us again, and shalt bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

Clarke's Psalms 71:20 Bible Commentary

Thou, which hast showed me great and sore troubles - Multiplied straits and difficulties. And thou hast only showed them.

Hadst thou permitted them to have fallen upon me with all their own energy and natural consequences, they would have destroyed me. As it was, I was nearly buried under them.

Shalt quicken me again - Shalt revive me - put new life in me. This has been applied to the passion of our Lord, and his resurrection; for it is added, Thou: -

Shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth - Death shall not prey upon my body; thy Holy One can see no corruption. As applicable to David, it might mean his being almost overwhelmed with afflictions; and his deliverance was like a life from the dead.

Barnes's Psalms 71:20 Bible Commentary

Thou, which hast showed me great and sore troubles - Or rather, who hast caused us to see or experience great trials. The psalmist here, by a change from the singular to the plural, connects himself with his friends and followers, meaning that he had suffered with them and through them. It was not merely a personal affliction, but others connected with him had been identified with him, and his personal sorrows had been increased by the trials which had come upon them also. Our severest trials often are those which affect our friends.

Shalt quicken me again - literally, "Shalt return and make us live." The word "quicken" in the Scriptures has always this sense of "making to live again." See the notes at John 5:21; compare Romans 4:17; 1 Corinthians 15:36; Ephesians 2:1. The plural form should have been retained here as in the former member of the sentence. The authors of the Masoretic punctuation have pointed this as if it were to be read in the singular, but the plural is undoubtedly the true reading. Alike in his affliction, and in his hope of the returning mercy of God, he connects himself here with those who had suffered with him. The language expresses firm confidence in the goodness of God - an assurance that these troubles would pass away, and that he would see a brighter day.

And shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth - As if he had been sunk in the waters, or in the mire. See Psalm 130:1. The word here used means commonly "wave, billow, surge;" then, a mass of waters, "a flood," the deep; then, a gulf, an abyss. The idea here is, that, instead of being on the mountain top, in a place of security, he had sunk down to the lowest point; he had, as it were, sunk "into" the very earth. Yet from that low estate he felt assured that God would raise him up, and place him in a condition of happiness and safety. This is one of the many instances which we have in the Psalms, where the psalmist in great trouble expresses the most entire confidence that God would interpose in his behalf.